In
Mandaean cosmology
Mandaean cosmology is the Gnostic conception of the universe in the religion of Mandaeism.
Mandaean cosmology is strongly influenced by ancient near eastern cosmology broadly and Jewish, Babylonian, Persian, Greek, Manichaean and other Near ...
, Piriawis (; sometimes also spelled Biriawiš
[Lidzbarski, Mark. 1920. ''Mandäische Liturgien''. Abhandlungen der Königlichen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen, phil.-hist. Klasse, NF 17.1. Berlin.]), also known as the Yardna Rabba ( "Great
Jordan
Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...
"), is the sacred life-giving river (''
yardna
In Mandaeism, a yardna () or yardena ([]; ) is a body of flowing fresh water (or in ; pronounced ''meyya heyyi'') that is suitable for ritual use as baptismal water. The masbuta and other Mandaean rituals such as the tamasha (ablution), tamasha ...
'') of the
World of Light
In Mandaeism, the World of Light or Lightworld () is the primeval, transcendental world from which Tibil and the World of Darkness emerged.
Description
*The Great Life ('' Hayyi Rabbi'' or Supreme God/ Monad) is the ruler of the World of Ligh ...
. It is the
heavenly counterpart of rivers on Earth (
Tibil
In Mandaean cosmology, Tibil () or occasionally Arqa ḏ-Tibil (lit. "Tibil-Earth") is the Earth (World) or earthly middle realm. It is separated from the World of Light (''alma ḏ-nhūra'') above and the World of Darkness (Mandaeism), World of D ...
), which are considered by Mandaeans to be manifestations of the heavenly Piriawis.
Shilmai
In Mandaeism, Shilmai (Šilmai; ) or Shalmai (Šalmai) is an uthra (angel or guardian) who serves as one of the two guardian spirits of Piriawis, the heavenly ''yardna'' (river) in the World of Light. In the ''Ginza Rabba'' and ''Qulasta'', he is ...
and
Nidbai
In Mandaeism, Nidbai () is an uthra (angel or guardian) who serves as one of the two guardian spirits () of Piriawis, the heavenly ''yardna'' (river) in the World of Light. In the ''Ginza Rabba'' and ''Qulasta'', he is usually mentioned together ...
are the two guardian
uthra
An uthra or ʿutra (, Neo-Mandaic ''oṯrɔ'', traditionally transliterated ''eutra''; plural: ʿuthrē, traditionally transliterated ''eutria'') is a "divine messenger of the light" in Mandaeism. Charles G. Häberl and James F. McGrath transl ...
s (celestial beings) watching over Piriawis.
Qulasta
The Qulasta, also spelled Qolastā in older sources (; ), is a compilation of Mandaean prayers. The Mandaic word ''qolastā'' means "collection".
The prayerbook is a collection of Mandaic prayers regarding baptisms ('' maṣbuta'') and other sa ...
prayers
13 and
17 mention Piriawis-Ziwa and Piriafil-Malaka together as
uthra
An uthra or ʿutra (, Neo-Mandaic ''oṯrɔ'', traditionally transliterated ''eutra''; plural: ʿuthrē, traditionally transliterated ''eutria'') is a "divine messenger of the light" in Mandaeism. Charles G. Häberl and James F. McGrath transl ...
s.
Other names
In Book 4 of the ''
Right Ginza
The Right Ginza () is one of the two parts of the Ginza Rabba, the longest and the most important holy scripture of Mandaeism. The other part of the Ginza Rabba is the Left Ginza.
Summaries of each book (or tractate), based mostly on Häberl ( ...
'', Sindiriawis is mentioned as "the great ''
yardna
In Mandaeism, a yardna () or yardena ([]; ) is a body of flowing fresh water (or in ; pronounced ''meyya heyyi'') that is suitable for ritual use as baptismal water. The masbuta and other Mandaean rituals such as the tamasha (ablution), tamasha ...
'' of the Life" ().
See also
*
Yardna
In Mandaeism, a yardna () or yardena ([]; ) is a body of flowing fresh water (or in ; pronounced ''meyya heyyi'') that is suitable for ritual use as baptismal water. The masbuta and other Mandaean rituals such as the tamasha (ablution), tamasha ...
*
Ganga (goddess)
Ganga (, ) is the personification of the river Ganges, who is worshipped by Hindus as the goddess of purification and forgiveness. Known by many names, Ganga is often depicted as a fair, beautiful woman, riding a divine crocodile-like creature ...
in Hinduism
*
Siniawis
In Mandaean cosmology, Siniawis () is a region in the World of Darkness (''alma ḏ-hšuka'') or underworld. It is described as "the lower earth of the darkness" () in Chapter 1 of Book 5 in the ''Right Ginza''.
See also
*Piriawis
In Mandaean c ...
, its corresponding opposite in the World of Darkness
*
Jordan River
The Jordan River or River Jordan (, ''Nahr al-ʾUrdunn''; , ''Nəhar hayYardēn''), also known as ''Nahr Al-Sharieat'' (), is a endorheic river in the Levant that flows roughly north to south through the Sea of Galilee and drains to the Dead ...
*
Yesseus Mazareus Yessedekeus
In Sethian Gnostic texts, Yesseus Mazareus Yessedekeus is the personification of the Living Water. He is mentioned in the Nag Hammadi tractates of the ''Holy Book of the Great Invisible Spirit'', ''Zostrianos'', and ''Apocalypse of Adam''.
Etymo ...
, the name of the Living Water in
Sethianism
The Sethians (Greek language, Greek: Σηθιανοί) were one of the main currents of Gnosticism during the 2nd and 3rd century AD, along with Valentinianism and Basilideans, Basilideanism. According to John D. Turner, it originated in the 2n ...
References
{{Mandaeism footer
Mythological rivers
Mandaean cosmology
Jordan River
Rivers in Mandaeism
Uthras
Personifications of rivers
Personifications in Mandaeism